Swartz



Nov. 29, 1955 D, SWARTZ 2,725,210

ADJUSTABLE BRACES FOR CONCRETE FORMS Filed April 27, 1955 I N V EN TOR. /c/f 5h/Aw?? United States Patent 2,725,210 -DJUSTABLE BRACES FOR CONCRETE FORMS Dick Swartz, Denver, Colo.

Application April 27, 1953, Serial No. 351,209

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-354) This invention relates to a brace for supporting concrete forms, and has for its principal object the provision of a rigid, sturdy brace structurewhich can be continuously reused on a succession of jobs, and which can be accurately and quickly adjusted for the purposes of each particular job.

Another object of the invention is to provide a brace for concrete forms which can be quickly and easily extended or contracted to any desired length, and which can then be minutely and accurately adjusted to a specific length for leveling and plumbing the forms.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side View of the improved brace illustrated as it would appear in use;

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof removed from the form;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similarly enlarged, perspective view of a wedge employed with the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a similar View, illustrating a locking pin employed with the invention.

In Fig. 1, the ground surface is indicated at 10, a wooden stake at 11, a concrete footing at 12, and a concrete wall form at 13, with its vertical form-supporting studs at 14 and whalers at 15. The above elements are simply for the purpose of illustrating the use of the improved form and form no part of the invention. The invention is designed to support the wall form 13 in any desired position, usually vertical, as illustrated, from a plurality of the stakes 11, or from other supporting structures replacing the stakes 11.

The invention broadly comprises an extendible and contractable brace member terminating at its extremities in means for attaching the brace member to the whalers 15, the stakes 11, and other structural members. The extendible brace member comprises an inner tubular member 16 telescopically fitted through an outer tubular member 17. The members 16 and 17 may be of any desired length, depending upon the use for which the particular brace is designed.

The inner tubular member 16 is drilled with spaced holes 18 throughout its length for the reception of the two prongs of a U-shaped locking pin 19 which passes through two similarly spaced holes in the outer tubular member 17.

The upper extremity of the outer tubular member 17 terminates in a reducing fitting 20 into which a screw housingtube 21 is threaded. The screw housing tube 21 'terminates in an internallyfthreaded cap portion 22 through which a jack screw--23=is threaded.

2,725,210 Patented Nov.v29, 1955 The jack screw 23 is formed with a knurled head portion 24 to facilitate rotation of the screw. The head portion 24 is preferably diametrically drilled to form receiving openings 25 into which a suitable pin or wrench device may be inserted for rotation of the jack screw.

A cylindrical stud 26 is formed on the jack screw beyond the head portion 24 and extends through a sleeve 27 having an end shoulder portion 28 which engages the extremity of the stud 26. The sleeve 27 is rotatably secured on the stud 26 by means of an axially positioned cap screw29 which extends through a lock washer 30, a thrust washer 31, and a spacing sleeve 32 into the extremity of the stud 26. This allows the sleeve 27 to freely rotate about the stud and prevents longitudinal movement thereof.

The above-described construction enables the length of the complete brace member to be given a rapid, approximate adjustment by placing the pin 19 in any of the desired holes 18. It also allows a very accurate, ne adjustment to be made by rotation of the head 24 to thread the jack screw 23 into and out of the head 24.

The brace member terminates in internally threaded coupling members 33. Each coupling member 33 is provided with a hinge tongue 34 perforated to receive a hinge bolt 35, by means of which a second coupling member 36 is hingedly attached thereto. The second coupling members 36 are each provided with a U-shaped frame 37. The side legs of each U-shaped frame extend in parallel relation and are spaced apart sufficiently to receive a 2 by 4 inch structural timber. These side legs are provided with a plurality of perforations 38 adapted to receive a locking pin 39. The head of the locking pin 39 is formed with a perforated eye 40 for receiving any suitable withdrawing tool.

For a use such as illustrated in Fig. 1, one of the frames 37 is placed around the 2 by 4 inch stake 11 and the pin 39 is inserted in the closest perforation 38 to the stake 11. The length of the brace member is then adjusted by shifting the inner member 16 in the outer member 17 so that the upper frame 37 may be placed about one of the whalers 15. The pin 19 is then inserted through the nearest pair of holes 1S and a second pin 39 inserted through the upper frame 37 in the closest perforation 38 to the Whaler 15.

A wedge member 41 is then driven between the crotch of each of the U-shaped frame members 37 and the members 11 and 15 to snugly engage the latter members. The head 24 is now rotated in either desired direction to bring the concrete form to its accurate nal position.

The wedge members 41 are preferably provided with tool openings 42 to facilitate their withdrawal. After the concrete is set, the pins 39 are withdrawn, the wedges removed, and the device is ready for installation in a new position.

The eyes 40 on the pins 39, and the openings 42 in the wedge members 41 also provide means whereby the pins andv thewedge members may be permanently and exibly attached to the brace member to provide a complete unit and to prevent loss of the pins and wedge members.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable brace for quickly and accurately leveling and plumbing concrete forms, comprising: a longitudinally extensible body member, a U-shaped clamping member hinged to said body member at each end thereof, the legs of each of said U members being formed with a plurality of sets of opposed registering perforations', whereby said U members may be quickly slipped respectively over a timber on a form and a timber on .a :stationary ,support ,to embrace said timbers and to beclamped thereto by the insertion of `a -.pin through the .properset of opposed perforations; said body member being vcomposed .of two telescoping members having a plurality .of sets of registering transverse perforations for receiving a pin for a `preliminary rough adjustment; said body member beingalso provided at an intermediate point in .the length thereof with screwthreaded jack means for eecting a final tine adjustment of the brace.

2. .An adjustable brace for quickly and accurately leveling ,and plumbing concrete forms comprising: a longitudinally extensible body member, a clamping member hinged to 4said body member at each end, thereof, said -clamping v,members being formed so as to Vslip over, embrace and be clamped respectively to a timber on ,a form and a timber on a stationary support, said body Imember VComprising two telescoping members having means for holding said members in desired rough longitudinal adjustment; and means for effecting a tnal ne adjustment .of the brace comprising a jack screw having one end threaded into an internally threaded extremity of one of said telescoping members, the other end of the jack being provided with a cylindrical stud of extended length, a sleeve for receiving said stud for rotary movement therein, one end of said sleeve being formed with an interior annular shoulder, said stud being formed with a .reduced end so as to form a shoulder abutting said annular shoulder, a thrust Washer attached to the reduced extremity of said stud and abutting the adjacent extremity of said sleeve, and a coupling member attached to and enclosing said sleeve end and hinged to one of said clamping members.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 737,133 OBrien Aug. 25, 1903 1,559,575 McMillan Nov. 3, 1925 '1,653,742 Sparrow Dec. 27, 1927 1,716,886 Meyer Apr. 30, 1929 2,291,170 Moths July 28, 1942 2,532,168 Jakoubek NOV. 28, 1950 

